Gear shifting mechanism



V. W. KLIESRATH GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Filed May 21, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. VICTOR W Mas/e47 BY b AT RNEY '29, 1940. v. w.- KLIESRATH GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Filed May 21, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. V/c TOR W K1. 055/94 77/ 0a. 29. 1940. v, LI SRAT 2,219,323

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Filed May 21, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

V/CTO/P 144 MES/FA 7H ATTORNEY Oct 29. 1940. v. w. KLIESRATH GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 21, 1934 INVENTOR. VICTOR WA; MFR/I777 AT ORNEY Patented on. 29, 2,219,23 A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Victor w. Kliesrath, South Bend, Ind., minim-i to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend,

InrL, a corporation of Delaware Application my 21, 1934, Serial No. new: 2 Claims. (01. ice-3.5)

This invention relates in general to means for operation of the on operating power controlling the operation of an automotive vehicle means after the clutch has been engaged to a preand more particularly to means correlating the determined amount and/or a check valve means, control of the internal-combustion engine, the incorporated in the fluid transmitting connection clutch and the change-speed transmission to leading to the transmission operating power 5 simplifNhe technic of operation of these units, means and so cooperating with the remaining the physical effort necessary to their mechanism as to insure a continuous power operoperation and in general provide a simple and ation of the transmission, at least until the clutch effective mechanism for the purposes intended. has been engaged sumciently to enable the engine,

The trend in the present day automotive vehicle acting through the intermediary of the clutch, to

is to power operation of the controls of the power aid the power means in completing the gear plant; also, to reducing the number and comshifting operation. plexity of the controls. Itis accordingly the prin- With respect to the power operation of the cipal object of the invention to provide simply transmission of an automotive vehicle the prior controlled pressure differential operated power art it replete with suggestions of so-called builtl means for operating the standard types of clutch in mechanisms for operating the gear train of the and transmission with which the vehicle is equiptransmission. Such mechanisms are, however, ped, said means to be in part controlled by the necessarily complicated and expensive, usually remeans for operating the throttle of the engine. quiring a modification of the standard form of With the present invention the control of the transmission and including numerous conduits, h clutch is in part effected by means of the accelvalves, cylinders, etc. The invention is accordingerator and the control of the transmission is in ly specifically directed to power means for operthe main limited to a simple form of manually ating the transmission, the object being to prooperated selector. vide a simple form of accessory unit adapted to A further object of the invention is to provide operate the present day type of transmission inpower means for operating the 'clutch and transeluding a conventional gear shiftslever', the power mission, which, in a large measure, will be autoelement of the unit being preferably connected matic in action and will, with a minimum of opdirectly to the shift lever to operate the same in a erations on the part of the driver, accurately simmanner fully simulating a conventional manual so ulate the conventional manual operation of these operation thereof. To this end there is suggested mechanisms. To this end means are provided for a universally mounted pressure diflerential operautomatically disengaging the clutch by power ated actuator unit, operably cgnnected to the with a release of the accelerator pedal and thereshift lever at a point above thefloorboard, said fore after the power of the internal-combustion actuator being selectively operable to move the engine has been reduced to a minimum, said shift-lever to anyone of its conventional positions.

" means being so constructed that after the release Q A further object of the invention is toprovide of the accelerator the transmission may then, but valve mechanism for controlling the aforemennot until then,beoperated. tioned gear shift operating actuator unit, said The invention contemplatw the provision mechanism being completely electrically operated w of interlocking clutch and transmission operating to effect all of the operations of the actuator in its power means, preferably of themanifold vacuum simulation of a conventional manual operation of operated type, controlled in part by the aecel-' a gear shift lever. I erator of the vehicle and in part by a Yet another object is to provide an electrically operable selector mechanism, a valve mechanism operated valve mechanism for said actuator, said being preferably incorporated in the power means mechanism being controlled either completely by to insure a disengagement of the clutch prior to a a hand operated switch or Jointly by a footnpertransmission operation of the power means. ated treadle and said switch.

A further feature of ,the invention is to provide A further object of the invention is to provide :means, controlled :m' part by the accelerator I an actuator controlling valve mechanism which o 00 pedal, for insuring a power loading of the gear may be either manually or electropneurratically shift lever, at least.until the clutch-is engaged operated at the will of the driver, the manually sufficiently to facilitate the completion of the operated ,means being so interlocked with the gear changing operation. Tothis end the invenelectrical means as to be dependent thereon for a tion contemplates the provision of a switch completecontrol of the valve unit. I

means, operable bythe clutch, for cutting out the The invention also contemplates the provision of a hand operated electrical switch, preferably mounted on the steering column, and which is operative as a selector to control the power operation of a gear shift lever to simulate a conventional manual operation thereof. A further feature of the invention is to provide such a switch mechanism, manually operable in such fashion as to simulate a conventional manual operation of a gear shift lever.

Other objects of the invention, including a compact and effective two-way treadle switch, a simple and efficient relay, and other desirable details of construction and combinations of parts will be apparent from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken through the drivers compartment disclosing, in side elevation, the power gear shift mechanism constituting the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view vof the driver's compartment disclosing certain of the elements of the gear shift mechanism constituting the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 disclosing the structure of the power actuator unit for operating'the shift lever, the actuator being shown in operation to place the shift lever in the low' and reverse channel of the transmission; 1

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, disclosing the actuator in its operative position to place the shift lever in the second and high transmission channel;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 disclosing the elements of the valve mechanism in operative position to maintain the shift lever in its neutral position in the low and reverse channel of the transmission;

Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 5, disclosing the valve mechanism operative to place the shift lever in reverse gear position;

Figure '7 is a sectional view, similar to Figure 5, disclosing the valve mechanism operative to place the shift lever in first gear position;

Figure 8 is a sectional view, similar to Figure 5, disclosing the valvemechanism operative to place the shift lever in second gear position;

Figure 9 is a sectional view, similar to Figure 5, disclosing the valve mechanism operative to place the shift lever in high gear position;

Figure 10 is a schematiclay-out of the actuator and it control valve mechanism disclosing certain structural elementsthereof in section and the fluid transmitting circuits interconnecting the two;

Figure 11 is a view, partly in section, disclosing the details of the relay mechanism, in part controlling the operation of the actuator to move the shift lever through the gate of the transmission;

Figure 12 is a perspective view, partly in section, disclosing the clutch operating power unit;

Figure 13 is a sectional view disclosing the Figure 1'7 is a, view taken on the line I'I-| I of Figure 14 disclosing further details of the selector switch; and

Figure 18 is a diagrammatic view disclosing the electric hook-up for controlling the actuator of Figures 1 and 2.

In that embodiment of the invention disclosed diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 there is shown an internal-combustion engine III, which is drivably connected to the usual propeller shaft, not shown, through the intermediary of a conventional friction clutch l2 and a conventional variable-speed transmission, the latter being controllable by the usual shift lever l4. The invention in its broadest aspect is directed to power means for operating the clutch and transmission, and more particularly to a power means for so operating the transmission as to simulate a conventional manual operation thereof.

To the above end there is provided a doubleacting actuator unit l6, universally mounted to the dash at l8, a piston or power element 20 thereof being operably connected to the shift lever by a rod 22. A control valve unit 24, mounted in one end of the actuator unit, serves to intermittently energize and deenergize the same to operate the shift lever by alternately connecting certain compartments of the unit with a source of vacuum power and with the atmosphere. The intake manifold 26 is utilized as the source of vacuum and is connected with the actuator unit by conduits 28 and 30, a vacuum operated actuator or motor unit 32 being incorporated in the fluid circuit to operate the clutch. The clutch operating actuator is not claimed herein, inasmuch as the same, both in its relation as a unit to the instant invention and in the particular details of its construction, is more fully disclosed, described and claimed in an application of Victor W. Kliesrath, No. 721,683, filed April 21, 1934, in an application of Victor W. Kliesrath, No. 592,170, filed February 10, 1932,

and an application of Victor W. Kliesrath, et al.,

No. 580,434, filed December 11, 1931.

. Briefly describing the operation of the clutch actuator 32, upon release of an accelerator 34, a combined cut-out, three-way and bleed valve unit 36 is rendered operative to effect a clutch disengaging operation of the actuator, and upon depressing the accelerator to open the throttle, the valve unit is rendered operative, in conjunction with a bleed valve 38 and an inertia'controlled valve 40, Figure 12, to effect a clutch engaging operation of the motor in such fashion as to simulate a conventional manual engagement of the clutch. Briefly, the clutch actuator comprises cylinder and piston elements 42 and 44 respectively, the latter operatively connected to the clutch by a crank 48, a conventional clutch pedal 48 also being' provided to operate the clutch. 1

It is furthermore to be noted that the valve 36 interconnects the conduits 28 and 30, and accordingly controls the fluid circuit leading to both the clutch and the transmission operating actuators, the latter being in parallel in the circuit, all of which is more completely brought out in the aforementioned application No. 580,434. With this construction the actuator I6 may not be energized to operate the transmission until after the accelerator is released and the clutch is disengaged, the conduits and other fluid transmitting connections and construction of the parts being such that the clutch is always disengaged before the actuator I6 is operative to mesh the gears. This result may also be accomplished by incorporating a suitable restricting valve in theconnections: and. as another alternative, this result may be accomplished by means of a cutout switch 45, disclosed in Figures 1 and 18, said switch being operable to make the valve controlling circuits when the clutch is partly disengaged, and thus effect an operation of the transmission at that time. It follows that said switch is also operable to break said circuits only after the relatively moving clutch. plates have come into contact with each other and before the engagement of the clutch is completed.

A check valve 41, Figure 10, may, if desired, be incorporated in the conduit 30 to facilitate the aforementioned function of switch 45. Describing the operation of the check valve, it is automatically seated when the master valve 36 is operated with opening of the throttle, venting conduit 80' to the atmosphere. Such a construction, that is, the switch 45 and/or the check valve 41, insures a power loading of the transmission during a part of the time that the relatively moving clutch plates are in engagement with each other; for during this period of time the actuator I6 remains energized, all as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Likewise, it will be noted that with this construction the desired operation of the transmission may be Y preselected but not actually effected until after the clutch is disengaged by the power means.

However, as above indicated, the invention is particularly directed to the power means for operating the shift lever. The valve unit 24, Figure 1, for controlling the actuator I6 comprises a casing 50 provided with a laterally extending bore to receive a reciprocable valve member 52. The valve member is normally positioned, as indicated in Figure 5, by return springs 54 and 56, interposed between the ends of the valve and closure plugs 58 and 60. The valve 52 may be, in part, manually operable by a foot treadle 62 interconnected with the valve by linkage including a three-arm lever 64. The valve casing 50 is also provided with a vertically extending bore to reated by a solenoid 68 comprising a winding I and c an armature "I2, the latter constituting an end extension of the valve member 66. The solenoid is controlled by a plurality of switches including a hand selector switch 14 mounted on the steering post I6, a switch I8 operated by the speedometer or other engine or propeller shaft operated speed-responsive mechanism, and a switch 80 operated by the aforementioned valve member 52, the operation of said switches being described in greater detail hereinafter.

Referring to the details of the actuator unit, the same includes three casing parts 82, 84 and the aforementioned valve casing part 50, the parts 50 and 82 constituting the casing member of a pressure differential operated mechanism for bodily moving the actuator unit to move the shift lever from one channel to the other of the transmission through the gate thereof. The pressure differential mechanism, which may be .termed a wabble mechanism, comprises a flexible diaphragm 86, operatively connected by a link 88 to a three-arm lever member 90, the latter pivotally connected to the casing member 82 at 82 and at one of its ends having a rolling contact with a bracket member 84 secured to the dash of the vehicle. -A return spring 86 is interposed between the bracket member and the casing member 82,

the latter being pivotally mounted to the bracket member by the aforementioned universal joint I8 to support the actuator unit. The fluid pressure operated wabble mechanism therefore in effect constitutes a pressure differential operated motor unit comprising compartments 98 and I00, compartment 88 being vented to the atmosphere through an opening in the casing member 82 and the compartment I00 being adapted to be placed in communication with the manifold 26 via ducts I02 and I04, Figure 10, in the valve casing and valves 52 and 66, in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter. With this construction, when the compartment I00 is evacuated with operation of the solenoid operated valve 66, the diaphragm is drawn to the right to operate the lever 90 and force the actuator unit, against the action of spring 86, to the position disclosed in Figure 3, thereby placing the shift lever I4 in the low, reverse channel of the transmission.

The remaining structure of the actuator unit comprises the cylinder casing member 84 and an end closure member I06, which, together with the piston 20 and valve casing member 50, constitute a double-ended double-acting motor unit for moving the shift lever longitudinally in either of the channels of the transmission. The motor unit provides two chambers I08 and I I0, each of which may be connected with either the atmosphere or source of vacuum in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter.

Describing the operation of the aforementioned mechanism, with the accelerator released and the engine idling the clutch is disengaged and the manifold as a source of vacuum is placed in communication with the valve member 52 via the conduits 28 and 30 and valve unit 36. With the car at a standstill or substantially so the speedometer of the car functions to close the switch I8, thus energizing a relay II2, Figure 11, the latter closing the battery circuit to energize the solenoid 68. The speedometer controlled switch and other features of the mechanism of .the instant invention are disclosed and claimed in copending application No. 686,720, filed August 25, 1933. The relay 2 constitutes a feature of this invention and comprises an insulated winding 4 adapted, when energized, to effect a closing of a contact at 6, a walking-beam armature II8 being pivoted at I20 to an L-shaped bracket member I22 secured to a mounting I24. The

armature is thus positioned parallel to the winding, providing a compact relay mechanism. The solenoid being energized, the armature I2 is thus drawn to the right, Figure 5, against the action of a return spring I26 to cut of communication between a recess I28 in the valve 66 and duct I00 and a duct I 30 in the valve casing, Figure 10, leading respectively to the chamber I00 and atmosphere. A recess I32 in the valve 66 is connected with the vacuum duct I02 in the casing 50 and with duct I04 therein leading to the chamber I08 to thus interconnect the chamber with the vacuum source. The actuator unit .is thus energized to bodily move the same to the position of Figure 3, the connected shift lever being moved through the gate of the transmission and into the low, reverse channel thereof preparatory to effecting either a low or reverse gear shift of the transmission. I

Should the operator now desire td place th transmission in low gear, preparatory to starting the car, he may depress the heel portion of the treadle 62, moving the valve 52 upwardly to the position of Figure 7. In this position of the valve a recess I84 therein interconnects a duct I35 in the valve casing 50, interconnected with the conduit 30 leading to the manifold, with a casing duct I38 and a tube I40 leading to the compartment IIO of the actuator unit, the compartment I08 of the actuator being connected to the atmosphere via a casing duct I42, Figure 10, and ports I44, duct I and ports I48 in the valve 52. The actuator is thus energized to move the piston 20 and the connected shift lever to efi'ect the shift of the transmission into low gear. The accelerator is now depressed to effect a clutch'engaging operation of the clutch motor 32 and accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.

The operator now probably desires to shift into second gear, whereupon he releases the accelerator to throttle the engine and disengage the clutch. -The toe portion of the treadle 52 is now depressed to move the valve 52 downwardly to the position disclosed in Figure 8. In this position. of the valve the recess I34 serves to interconnect the manifold with the forward compartment I08 of the actuator via the aforementioned duct I35 and duct I42 and the rear chamber IIO of the actuator is vented via the aforementioned duct I38 and tube I40. The actuator is thus again energized to move the shift lever to effect the second gear operation of the transmission. In effecting this operation the contact made by the speedometer operated switch 18 is broken when the car is placed in motion at or above a predetermined critical speed, thus deenergizing thesolenoid 58 and permitting spring 05 to move the shift lever through the gate of the transmission, the parts being so constructed that this action takes place prior to the aforementioned energization of the actuator to move the lever into its second gear position. When the solenoid is deenergized, the valve 55 is, of course, moved by the solenoid spring .I25 to its position shown in Figure 8 to vent the compartment I80 to the atmosphere, thus permitting the aforementioned action of the spring 05.

The operator may then shift into high gear by again depressing the heel portion of the treadle to move the valve 52 to the position disclosed in Figure 9, the operation of the mechanism being identical with that effecting the low gear shift, Figure '7, with the exception that the solenoid is, of course, deenergized, inasmuch as the car is in motion, the speedometer operated switch 18 being open. I

Should the operator desire to shift directly into second gear from a standing start, the'toe portion of the treadle 52 is depressed, moving the valve 52 to the position disclosed in Figure 8. This movement of the valve ser es to open the aforementioned switch 80, disclosed in detail in Figures 5 to 9 and diagrammatically in Figure 18, one of the contacts I50 of the switch being socured to one end of the valve 52. A cut-out of the relay operated circuit, Figure 18, is, of course, necessary at this time, inasmuch as the car is static and the switch 18 is closed. This makes necessary a breaking of the battery circuit by the aforementioned switch 80, for otherwise the transmission would be placed in reverse gear.

According to an important feature of the invention the aforementioned manually operated linkage for operating the valve unit 52 is interlocked with an electropneumatic power means for operatingsaid linkage, the latter being concontrolled by the aforementioned selector switch 14. This switch is also designed to control the solenoid 58; therefore, if desired, the speedometer controlled relay circuit may be broken by a switch I52. To this end there is provided a double-acting pressure differential operated motor, disclosed in detail in Figure 13, said motor comprising a casing I54 and a reciprocable pis- 5 ton element I55 therein operably connected, by a link I58, to the lower arm of the three-arm lever member 54, Figure 2. The motor unit of Figure 13 further comprises a valve unit I50 mounted upon the top of the casing of the motor, said valve unit comprising two solenoids I52 and I54, each operable to actuate three-way valve members, the two valve members together controlling the operation of the motor. The valve members comprise piston members I55 and I58, one end of the same constituting the armatures of the operating solenoids, each of said pistons being provided with longitudinal bores I10 and I12 and cross bores I14 and I15, as disclosed in the figure. 2

In operation, when the solenoid I54 is energized, the piston I55 is moved upwardly to cut off communication between cross bore I14 and an atmospheric duct- I18 and register said bore with a duct I80 leading to the manifold via a duct I82 and a conduit I84, the latter being tapped into the conduit 30, as disclosed in Figure 1. At the same time that piston I58 connects the left end of the casing I54 with the source of vacuum the right end or chamber of the casing is connected to atmosphere via bore I12, bore I15 and a duct I85. The piston I55 is thus moved to the left in the figure to operate the lever 54 and the connected valve unit 52. Should the solenoid I52 be energized, the reverse operation of the piston I55 is effected.

The hand operated selector switch 14 for controlling the solenoids I52 and I54 is disclosed in detail in Figures 14 to 17, inclusive, and comprises a casing I88 housing a reciprocable manually operated plunger member I00, operable by a handle I02, the member being returned to one of its ofi positions by a spring I04. A lead wire, not shown, connects the plunger to the battery. The switch mechanism further comprises a U- shaped yieldable contact member I05 fixed to the switch casing by a pin I08, arms 208 and 202 of the member being one or the other moved into contact with solenoid lead members 204 and 205 by means-of a cam 208 fixedly secured to the plunger member I00. The latter member is also provided with a pin 2I0 adapted to contact stop members 2I2 to limit the angular movement of the cam. A spring returned contact member 2 I 4, also connected to the battery, is housed within insulating material within the switch and is adapted to be moved by one end of the plunger I00 into contact with a contact member 2I5 leading to the solenoid 58.

In operation, should the driver desire to control the transmission operating power means exclusively by the switch 14, the car being static and the switch I52 open, he first pushes laterally on the plunger to close the switch 2I4, 2I 5, thus successively energizing the solenoid 58 and the actuator unit to move the shift lever into the low, reverse channel of the transmission. If a shift into low gear is desired, the driver now rotates the handle I02 counterclockwise to thus close the switch 208, 200, successively energizing the solenoid I54 and the pneumatic motor I55 to operate the valve 52, the latter efl'ecting the low gear operation of the actuator unit.

In order to effect a shift into second gear the operator releases the plunger I00 and rotates the 2,219,328. handle Q92 clockwise, thus operating the switch 202, 208 to energize solenoid I62, eifecting a second gear operation "of the actuator unit. The

operator may then again rotate the handle I92 in a counterclockwise direction to operate the selector switch to effect the high gear operation of the actuator unit. The shift into reverse may, of course, be effected by successively operating the switches 2, H6 and 202, 208. It will be noted that the operation of the switch 14 in a measure simulates a conventional operation of the shift lever, the handle an providing in effect a miniature shift lever.

There is thus provided an electropneumatic means interlocked with a manually controlled pedal providing a mechanism wherein the actuator valve unit. may be operated either electrically or manually at the option of the driver.

A feature of the aforementioned interlock conearns the means for effecting the shift of thetransmission into reverse. It will be obvious from an inspection of Figure 18 that with the foot operated treadle mechanism and'the cooperating speedometer controlled switch it there is no means provided-for efiecting a reverse gear operation of the actuator unit. However, in cooperation with the switch it with the vehicle static, should the driver desire to place the transmission in reverse, he will close the switch 2, flit, thus energizing the solenoid 68 to maintain the shift lever-in the low, reverse channel, despite the cutting out of the relay circuit by the switch at when the treadle $2 is toe operated.

The operation of the hand switch thus shunts the circuit, including the switch 80 and the relay, to insure the reverse gear operation of the actuator unit, the hand switch constituting a common means for controlling the valve unit either exclusively electrically or electrically and manually.- I

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1; In an automotive vehicle provided with a variablegear transmission, a clutch havin driving and driven members and power means for operating the transmission, and means operable by the clutch for rendering the transmission operating power means inoperative only after the driving and driven elements of the clutchhave been engaged to a predetermined degree.

2. In an automotive vehicle provided with a transmission, a clutch, power means for operating the clutch, and other power means for operating the transmission, said latter means including valve means rendered operable with the initiation of the clutch engaging operation of, the clutch operating power means for insuring a loading of the transmission by the transmission operating power means until the clutch is engaged to a predetermined degree.

VICTOR W. KLIESRATH. 

